No Assembly Required
by Nora7
Summary: Captain Ivanova is sent on a mission sanctioned by the PsiCorps and she meets someone from her past.
1. Chapter 1

Author: Nora

Rating: M

Warning: If you are underage or don't care for relations between two women please go somewhere else.

Disclaimer: No infringement is intended upon the copyrights held by JMS, PTEN, TNT and anyone else who owns a piece of Babylon 5. I'm doing this to amuse myself and anyone else who cares to read.

Feedback is welcome at thanks to my Beta Leah

Summary: Captain Ivanova is sent on a mission sanctioned by the Psi-Corps and she meets someone from her past.

**No Assembly Required**

**Part 1 - The Past Revisited**

_**MARS - January 7, 2262**_

She could feel them trying to destroy her. How could they? After all she had done for them. She was their creature, they had made her and now she had outlived her usefulness. She wasn't going to go down without a fight. She screamed in defiance as she felt her carefully constructed psyche being shredded into a million torn and bloody pieces.

Mr. Braden looked down at the blonde-haired woman lying silently on the bed. She was curled in a fetal position on her side, her clothing not adequate to protect her from the chill in the air. The room was antiseptic and had a psychic imprint that was a cross between a hospital and a morgue. The walls were white and pristine in their cleanliness, bright white lights flashed down, adding no warmth to the room, only illumination. There was a feeling of death that lingered in the air, as if this was the last place many lost souls spent their final minutes in.

He had worked with two other P-12's to undo what had been done to the young woman. Initially he had told Al that he didn't think she was a good choice for the sleeper program. It was possible Director Johnson would take an interest in her, but then again the Director was a fickle man and there were no guarantees she would be placed in a position that would provide a return on the investment they had made in conditioning her. Even though the Director had a definite weak spot for beautiful blondes. Al had other ideas. He said regardless of where she was posted, she could be moved to other sensitive locations, so they had proceeded. It was only with the aid of the Vorlon data crystal that they had been able to destroy the artificial construct and bring back the original personality. That was a fortuitous accident. Who would have thought that the data crystal would almost literally fall into his lap?

Al was suspicious, that was obvious. She had been slated for termination; she had been involved in several assassinations. As a tool her thirst for more death and general disregard for protocol was making her a liability to the corps regardless of her unique abilities and programming. However, Braden was sure that she would be more useful with her original personality. He had something to offer that he didn't think she would be able to refuse. That of course was what had Al suspicious, there was very little that he didn't know or find out about and currently Braden's request had him on alert. However Al still owed him some favors from the past.

"Ms Winters, tell me what you remember?" A deep voice asked bringing Talia out of her musings. She looked closely at the man. He was muscular and fit, even if his gray hair and the lines around his eyes and mouth belied his true age. She thought she should remember him but it seemed that when she tried to think of the past it was like looking though a foggy netherworld. Some of the time the fog parted letting her see a glimpse of her past and other times there was nothingness. "I don't know. It's all indistinct." Talia shook her head trying to focus in on her memories.

"Hummm… well your memory should return. You will no doubt recall things that you will find unpleasant. I am here to help you with those," His deep rich baritone voice resonated in the silence of the room.

"Should I know you?" Talia asked still uncertain.

"We have only met once before Talia. I did an evaluation before you underwent psychic surgery about nine years ago. I'm here to make sure that we were able to undo all of that programming. My name is Lucas Braden," He stated smiling gently at her.

_**Quadrant 298 - February 12, 2263**_

"Delta 2, bank left." Delta leader called out to the starfury on his right as he executed a particularly intricate maneuver to try and get the attackers off his squad. Lt. Hayes tried his usual flashy style to impress the Captain.

"Boom, Boom, and Boom. I'd say that about finishes my re-qualification run," Captain Susan Ivanova stated rather smugly after trouncing several of her complacent veteran pilots. She headed back to the fighter bays relishing her victory.

"Captain, you know you cheated." Lt. Commander Jeff McKinney stated as he met Susan in the locker room.

Susan finished pulling on her boots after having taken a quick shower. "You know Lt. Commander you are no fun. Besides it wasn't exactly cheating, I'd call it changing the rules." She looks up at the Lt. Commander. He would be the perfect poster boy for Earth Alliance military. He had his blonde hair neatly trimmed. He was six inches taller than her with a very fit build. In this case the man definitely made the uniform look good. He had emerald green eyes, a chiseled jaw, and an easy-going manner that made him instant friends.

"With all due respect ma'am, I'd say you were playing a whole different game," McKinney stated with the barest hint of a southern drawl as he grinned down at his CO. "Not that I'm saying it wasn't about time Lt. Hayes had his tail handed to him, but ma'am you and Alpha wing took out all of Delta wing and there were only two of you. You know that's going to smart. And I am the one who gets to hear his whining."

"Just think of it as diplomacy training without the annoying politics of other governments. There is just me." Susan stated standing. She pulled her blue EA jacket over her white shirt.

"Well they say it's always better to live in a dictatorship ma'am," the Lt. Commander stated smiling as the Captain snorted at his comment. She headed toward the lift going to the bridge.

"When will we reach the transfer station on Io?" Susan asked as she stepped onto the lift.

"Eight days ma'am," McKinney moved in beside his Captain. "So are you looking forward to heading back to your old stomping grounds?"

"Not really, the last year out here has been good. I'm still not the most popular person with some people," Ivanova stated in an entirely candid moment. She had loosened up a lot in the past eight months. The first four had been spent taking the measure of her people and handling numerous border issues. It had taken her a while to get used to life on a warship and the Warlock class was a magnificent vessel. So far both the ship and crew had performed up to her high expectations with a few notable exceptions the most recent being Lt. Hayes display of ego. Luckily Susan was more than happy to deliver the cure for that. Recapping the past year of accomplishments she had done remarkably well. Her orders had sent her on the fringes of Earth controlled territory. She and the crew had apprehended raiders, made first contact, settled disputes and generally kept the peace. It had sent a signal that Earth had recovered from the Civil War, and was more than able to keep peace within its territory. She knew she was sent here for several reasons; the biggest had been to get her out of the spotlight. Many had not been pleased that she had escaped court martial for her role in the civil war and to boot she had been promoted to Captain, one of the youngest in the fleet. That brought her to the second reason she had been sent out. She had seen more combat in the two years prior to her promotion than many of her superiors. President Luchenko wasn't stupid. She could kill two birds with one stone. Susan was worried now that her yearlong tour was over. Politics was never something she wanted any part of. She liked the military for just that reason. You get orders and then you carry them out. No questions just execute it as stated. Okay maybe it wasn't as cut and dried with the former President Clarke but that's why she had followed her CO's lead. Sometimes conscience did come in to play. Of course Clarke had never been elected to the Presidency.

"Well ma'am, unless you want me to find some emergency for us to handle out on the Rim, Io it will be," the Lt. Commander stated stepping out of the lift and on to the bridge.

"That's not necessary, but I appreciate the thought. Lt. Jesai have you finished calibrating the sensors?" the Captain asked as she took her seat. The young lieutenant was another of her problem issues. Susan had worried about the crew she was assigned. She knew that she could have ended up with a ship of incompetent misfits, but it looked like she had only been saddled with a few that required a lot more work. What was it that Captain Hinton had said; you spend 95 of your time on the worst 5 of your crew.

"Yes ma'am. I've uploaded the information to your console." The Lt. stated pleased that she had just completed the adjustments the Captain had asked. She had a checkered history in getting things done to the Captain's specifications. She usually ran through things so fast that she missed the details and that caused problems with the Captain.

_**Earthdome - February 12, 2263**_

"Thank you for meeting with me Madam President," Lucas Braden stated taking a seat across from Susanna Luchenko. He left his antique cane resting on the edge of his chair.

"I wasn't aware that there was much of a choice involved Mr. Braden," the President was annoyed by the presence of the man in front of her.

"There is always a choice. Have you considered the proposal?" Braden asked leaning forward in his seat taking in the sight of the brunette. He could sense without his telepathic abilities that she wasn't happy.

"It has its merit, but sending a Warlock class destroyer with a civilian expedition could raise a lot of eyebrows in the Senate. This smells like something Clark would have done. I really don't like it," Luchenko stared into blue eyes.

"It isn't without precedent. IPX had a rather cozy relationship with the previous regime and we will be sharing the technology. Besides BTW is an interstellar company, they could choose to go to the Minbari, Centari, or the newly founded Interstellar Alliance. I am sure any of them would be interested in the proposal," Braden said rather smugly. He knew that Luchenko wouldn't turn him down and he didn't have to be a telepath to read her body language.

"I am surprised the Director of Psi-Corps gave you leave to personally oversee this project, but because of your unique position with BTW Conglomerate I can see how it might be in the Corps best interest." Luchenko sighed to herself, "You have my approval and you'll have the Senate's. Orders are being cut as we speak for the destroyer of your choice. The EAS Mediator is headed for Io after her shakedown cruise for a full debriefing and new orders," the President sat back in her chair as she looked at the man in front of her. She had known of Lucas Braden for a long time, and had met him when she was a Senator from the Russian Consortium. He always put her at ease even though he wore the uniform of a Psi-Cop. Susanna suspected that the only thing that kept him from having an unfortunate accident was that his family was the B of BTW, and he still had influence with them. The fact that he had access to the billions of dollars at their disposal had no doubt helped the Corps somewhere along the way. She wondered if the cane was really necessary. The man had to be at least eighty but he seemed anything but infirm.

Braden stood and nodded slightly to the President, "It is as always a pleasure to see you. I'll pass along the information to my associates." With that Braden took his cane and headed out the door.

_**IO Transfer Station - February 20, 2263**_

The EAS Mediator came through the jump gate on schedule. Captain Susan Ivanova looked out the bridge view port at Jupiter's huge red spot as it floated onto the screen. The trip through hyperspace was uneventful and Susan was already approving shore leave for her crew. They were scheduled to be at Io for three weeks for retrofits and to recap the last twelve months of data. Basically a chance to make sure everything worked out like it was supposed to. The Warlock class ships had new shielding that was a hybrid of Shadow technology and it still made Susan uneasy but so far it had proved highly effective in battle. Internal gravity was also new for the Warlock class ships and it had taken some of her crew a while to get used to not being in zero g.

"Captain, you've got a secure communication on Gold channel from Earth Dome, do you want to take it in your office?" Ensign Shelton asked.

Susan nodded in affirmation and headed through a door to the right of the bridge where her office was. She sat down and keyed the channel open. General Bremerton came on the screen. He was a no-nonsense, by the book career military man who had been in service for thirty-three years. This was longer than Susan had been alive. Luckily for Susan he wasn't a big fan of Clark's but he had not been in favor of open rebellion either.

"Captain, I have new orders for you. You will be receiving a hard copy as we speak through normal channels. Your ship is being assigned to assist BTW Conglomerate. You have an appointment to meet with Lucas Braden from Psi-Corps and Jonas Telrin from BTW at 1700 hours today. I want you to be on your best behavior," the Admiral was well aware of Ivanova's dislike for Psi-Corps.

"Sir, since when are we babysitting corporations?" Susan asked annoyed at this turn of events.

"Since I just ordered you to Captain," the General stated forcefully. It was the only way to get Ivanova's attention. He softened his tone somewhat and then continued, "I know this isn't what you were expecting, but this came straight from the top. Evidently the President owes BTW for their help after the war. So play nice Susan. Knowing you and your usual efficiency, you'll finish up and have them off your ship before you know it."

"Yes sir," Susan stated and the Admiral signed off.

_**IO Transfer Station - February 20, 2263 - 1650 Conference Room**_

Lucas Braden sat down in his seat, resting his cane nearby. He took in the feel of the room. He looked to his two companions. Jonas Telrin was dressed in a blue business suit. He was of medium height and had an unassuming manner. He would never stick out as anything other than ordinary, even if he was one of the top executives of BTW and Braden's nephew. Braden looked to the woman on his right. Talia Winters was very nervous about the meeting. She had pulled up her gloves twice and adjusted her dress three times in the last five minutes. During the past year, the blonde telepath hadn't left his side. He had tested her in every way possible to ensure the artificial personality had been destroyed. She still had some problems reconciling what the artificial personality had done while in control of her body. So far she had not met anyone from her past so this would be an interesting meeting for a variety of reasons. He had followed Ivanova's career closely and was looking forward to seeing her again, although he doubted that she remembered their first meeting.

Lt. Commander McKinney had to struggle to keep up with his shorter Captain. He lengthened his stride, and knew she was unsettled with the meeting they were about to attend. He had looked through her file before he was posted to the EAS Mediator. He knew she had an intense hatred of Psi-Corps and he hoped she could put it aside so they could carry out their orders.

Susan slowed and took a deep breath to let out some of the tension in her body and then steeled herself for the meeting. She went in the conference room and surveyed the participants. Her attention was immediately drawn to Talia Winters. She felt all the air leave her lungs as she literally fell in the chair across from her.

Her XO sat next to her and noticed her distraction with the gorgeous blonde. He immediately introduced himself and his Captain.

Braden leaned forward gauging the tension in the room. He could feel the energy that charged the air between the two women. He acknowledged the young mans introductions and began his own, "Captain, Lt. Commander, I am Lucas Braden. This is Jonas Telrin and my personal assistant Talia Winters, whom I believe the Captain is familiar with. I will get to business," Braden noticed that this got the Captain's attention as she focused in on him as he continued. "We will be traveling to a classified location with thirty other research personal and our equipment. After we are under way, I will give a formal briefing of what we expect to find." Braden turned to Jonas and nodded to him. The brown haired man took out two data crystals and passed them to the Captain.

"These give the specifications of how much space our equipment will require. There is an additional one on a new modification BTW will be installing on the Mediator. The modification should not delay our departure date of March 14. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them," Jonas finished in a rush as he saw thunderclouds brewing in the Captain's eyes.

"What modifications?" Ivanova asked in a deathly quiet voice.

"Really they are quite remarkable. The implants are placed on the outside hull where they increase the range of your sensors in Hyperspace and augment several of your other systems. I've already sent a liaison to work with your chief engineer, Lt. Commander Renovitch." Jonas hoped his quick response would defuse the situation.

"I see, and I assume you were given permission through all the proper channels." Susan was still angry but stewing over this latest pronouncement realizing that her world had turned upside down as soon as she passed through the door. She could smell a Psi-Corps plot, but she knew she needed some distance before she made any overt move.

"Of course Captain, I wouldn't presume to do anything otherwise," Jonas was honestly taken aback that she would think he would do things any other way.

Susan pushed her chair back and pocketed the data crystals as she stood, "Well if that's all we will be going now." The Lt. Commander quickly followed his Captain's lead, surprised by her abrupt change. The two swiftly stepped out of the room.

Braden sat back in chair and quietly said, "Well that could have been worse."

Talia looked briefly to Braden silently asking for permission to leave. He nodded his head.

Talia finally caught up with Susan just before she stepped into the lift with her second in command. "Captain, I would like to talk to you."

Susan didn't break her stride as she followed her XO into the lift. Talia also stepped in. Susan briefly looked at Talia and coldly said, "I think we said everything there was to say right before you left Babylon 5."

Talia sighed, "I don't think you understand what is going on here Captain." Talia moved in closer to Susan, "We really need to talk." Talia put particular emphasis on talk, her low husky voice igniting Susan's memory.

Ten minutes later the two are sitting in Talia's quarters. Susan sat on the couch beside her, "Talk."

Talia looked into Susan's stormy blue eyes, "The artificial personality has been destroyed Susan. I've been free of it for almost a year now. I've wanted to contact you but Mr. Braden has monitored me closely. They have been testing me to make sure it's gone," Talia's voice almost broke but she pressed forward. "I think Michael is inadvertently responsible for me getting a reprieve. I was slated for termination, and Mr. Braden came across a data crystal they found in his possession when he was reprogrammed. It was a recording that Kosh made with the assistance of a ViCaR." Talia felt Susan move her knee closer to her almost touching her dress. Talia was so scared that Susan would out and out reject her. Their parting had not been pleasant. She had reconciled all the memories of the artificial personality with her own and she was still sickened by what she had been forced to do. She felt Susan's gaze on her body, looking at her trying to gauge the sincerity of her words. Finally she could stand it no longer, "Susan, Susan say something."

Susan couldn't help herself. She wanted so badly to believe that this was Talia, her Talia not that creature that had inhabited her body. Hope however was a precious quantity that was in short supply for her. This could all so easily be another Psi-Corps trick. "What can I say Talia, I don't know what to believe. You've just got to give me some time," with that Susan stood up and headed out the door. She kept silently cursing herself for a coward all the way back to the Mediator.

The intervening three weeks alternated between flying by and crawling to a halt for Susan. During the day she spent most of her time immersed in the modifications to her ship, debriefing with General Mitchell the CO at the Io transfer station, and overseeing the BTW personal that were invading her ship. There were two people she avoided like the plague, Mr. Braden and Ms. Winters. It didn't help that every time she avoided Talia, she saw such pain it almost broke her heart. Still she had walled up her emotions so tightly it was almost impossible for her to break down and let anyone in. It was a lot easier just to stay alone. It was too painful when they left, and they always left whether by their choice or not. Susan's nights were filled with misery; she constantly awoke to nightmares. Some were of her mother, Sophie; Ganya, her brother; others of death, that of Talia, Marcus, and when she thought John was finished at Zha'dum. Andre' came to her and she always felt his disappointment with her choices even though she knew he had forgiven her before he died. Finally she had gone to the ships doctor to get a sedative so she could sleep.

_**IO Transfer Station - March 11, 2263 - 10:50 EST**_

"Captain, you've got a priority message from Mars dome. Do you want to take it in your office?" Ensign Shelton looked up from his console noting that the Captain was looking a lot worse than she had when he had left on leave two weeks before. He had just returned from Earth after seeing his mom and dad in Ottawa Canada. The Captain brought him back from his memories with little more than an unintelligible mutter that he assumed was a yes since she was headed to her office.

Susan keyed the comm channel open. Michael Garibaldi's smiling face appeared.

"I would say it's great to see you Susan, but you look like hell." His eyes showed concern as he looked at his old friend.

"Save it Michael, did you find the information I asked about?" Susan asked straight to the point.

"Well I did some digging around and what Talia told you could be true. It was hard to find out anything on Braden but I have a few friends who were able to give me the low down on him. It seems he works mostly in R&D. He's more of a scientist than a Psi-Cop and he's been involved in a lot of bad things. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't program Talia, so I don't know what you can and can't trust about her. There were some rumors he was the one who invented dust. He was on Mars for a few years from 2252 to 2254 and even earlier around 2234. I've heard other rumors that point to that being when the first Shadow ships were found on Syria Planum. I remember seeing something back then when I was flying shuttles. I don't know what he's got planned Susan but I'd expect the worst. I'll keep my eyes and ears open for you though. You know the funny thing is I did get the data crystal from Kosh but I don't remember having it with me that day, but I can't find it now." Michael finished in a serious tone.

"Thanks, it looks like married life is suiting you." Susan had a brief smile ghosting across her face after seeing that her friend was happy.

"Well you know Lise is about the only person who can keep me straight. That offer still stands; I could use you at Edgars industries if you decide Earthforce isn't what you want to do."

"I don't think I could do anything else Michael, but thanks for the offer and for the information. Anything on Jonas Telrin?" Susan asked.

"He's about as clean as you can get. He seems like a by the book businessman. Not even a hint of scandal associated with him. Which of course means he's real good at hiding his problems or he is what he seems." Michael paused and looked at the papers on his desk, "I think he's the real deal though from the people I've quizzed here at Edgars that have had dealings with him."

"That doesn't make this any less confusing," Ivanova chewed her lower lip.

"So when are you heading out?"

"Three days."

"Well keep in touch Susan, and if I come up with anything else between now and then I'll let you know." With that Garibaldi closed the connection and Susan stared at the blank screen a few minutes before returning to the bridge.

"Ma'am, if I could have a word with you?" Lt. Commander McKinney asked as Susan stepped back on the bridge.

"Sure, why not." Susan headed back to her office. She took her seat and motioned for McKinney to take his.

"Uh, ma'am, I hmmm…" McKinney stammered not being able to articulate what he wanted to say.

"Spit it out Lt. Commander." Ivanova was annoyed with her executive officer.

"You haven't exactly been yourself since we've been here at Io. If you want to talk I'm here," Jeff tried to ease some of his Captain's burdens.

"Noted, anything else?" McKinney shook his head no. "Good I'm going to go downside and get a meal. It will probably be a while before we get downtime. Actually I think I'm going to stay planet side tonight. Do you think you can handle the final preparations up here?" Susan decided at the last minute to try and unwind before facing God only knew how long with at least two telepaths only a few doors down from her quarters. At least Braden and Talia hadn't taken up residence in their quarters yet.

"Yes Ma'am. Do you want me to prep a shuttle for you or are you going to take a commercial one down?" McKinney asked standing.

"See if you can get someone to drop me off and then pick me up around lunch tomorrow," Susan stated after thinking for a few minutes.


	2. Chapter 2

After lunch Lucas had Ms. Winters going over several business deals that he wanted her opinion on. She had a quick mind for it and he could see why she had been successful as a commercial telepath. Most of the afternoon had passed and he was debating over whether to act on the information he had in his possession. It was obvious that both Ms. Winters and Captain Ivanova were suffering. His telepath was making a better show of it than the Captain. He was afraid it was going to impact her performance and one thing he needed was Susan at her most efficient.

"Talia, I'm going to tell you something in confidence and I expect you to keep it that way." Lucas paused watching as Talia came to sit across from him. He could tell he had her immediate attention. "Tell me what you think of this report?" Braden handed her a coded and encrypted data reader. The blonde haired woman stared at the contents and then reread it.

"How many other people know about this?" Talia asked, her voice choked with emotion. She suddenly felt as if a giant abyss had opened up beneath her feet and she was about to take the plunge into Hell.

"Only one other besides us. I took care to make sure no one else left with that knowledge." Braden stated not disclosing what measures he took to ensure their silence.

"Are you sure this is accurate?" Talia asked still not quite believing what she had read.

"Very sure. As you can see, the Captain almost assuredly has her secrets. No doubt having the two of us roaming around her ship is going to have her ill at ease. I propose you go down planet side where she is no doubt drinking copious amounts of Vodka and cursing her luck. I want you to let her know that we both know and her secret is safe." Braden leaned back in his chair.

"This doesn't mean Susan is a telepath. There is just the possibility," Talia said grasping at straws. Susan, a telepath, which would explain so much; that had to be the reason why she hated the Corps and refused to have anything to do with any telepath. It also explained why she had pulled away from her at the last moment when they were on the station together before her world had fallen apart.

"The study was conducted at my behest. It was something I had suspected for a long time. The testing we currently have will let those with this genetic marker pass by. I checked Sophie Ivanova, and I also ran the test against her daughter, Susan. She is a telepath. She may not have manifested, but she carries within her the capacity for it. Sophie was strong, the potential to be a P9. No doubt that is what finally convinced her to end her life; I imagine the silence from the sleepers was unbearable." Braden looked saddened, as his voice became quieter as he related his knowledge.

"What are you going to do to Susan?" Talia asked worried for her safety and blanking her mind in case she had to do something she really didn't look forward to so that she could protect her.

"Nothing. Look at the date stamp on the data," Braden stated and Talia looked down. "As you can see it was done over twenty years ago, more than enough time to have used it against the Captain. No I need her abilities as a military officer." Braden paused and then continued, "It is obvious that she is torn. You care for her deeply, and I believe she returns that regard. She isn't going to make the first move so I am giving you the key to do so. Let her scan you. I don't want you to keep her out. I know you are adept at doing so, even with me." Braden finished smiling.

Talia couldn't detect any deceit from the man but that didn't mean anything.

"I have a private transport waiting to take you to the surface," Braden stated standing. He grabbed his cane out of habit.

Susan sat at the bar. She knew she should probably get something to eat. It had been a while and she had been drinking since early that afternoon. The trip to Io was uneventful. It was fascinating watching the volcanoes erupt. They used Io's internal heat to feed the mineral springs and that was the first place she went after arriving. She had always found them relaxing but nothing could remove the tension from her weary body. She had a light lunch and went shopping, then after trying several different outfits she finally settled on a shimmering black dress, understated in what it displayed but it definitely accentuated her assets. She had never been good at casual sex but she needed something, no someone and she didn't have the courage to approach the source of her distress. She had to do something to take her mind off of all the annoying things that had been going on since she had made it back to the Sol system. It was amazing that she had faced down countless enemies, fought against the shadows, helped overthrow an illegal government and cheated death and she couldn't face her fear of discovery. It was always present, and she didn't know if she could trust Talia. God she wanted to, so much. It almost killed her walking out that day when she first came back into her life after a four-year absence.

"Captain Ivanova?" an Earthforce Colonel asked as he sat down by the dark haired woman.

"Yes," Ivanova replied looking at the man noting that he was several years older than her, his brown hair going gray at the temples. That did not detract from his overall attractiveness or maybe that was just the alcohol talking.

"I'm Joel Thompson. I think we have a mutual friend, Dr. Stephen Franklin." Joel smiled and stuck out his hand. Susan clasped it back and felt his firm grip. "I'm headed back to Earth for General Franklin's retirement and I'm being assigned to Earthdome. I thought you might have talked with Stephen recently. I know things between him and the General tend to be strained."

"Actually it has been a couple of months. I talked to him in December and he said that he was headed back to Earth to work on some specific research," Susan stated still trying to get her bearings concerning this man. Her general paranoia probably picked up from years of hanging out with Garibaldi was sending out warning signals. She knew that many people recognized her, and many had tried to play on her prestige to garner favors or to find out information that should stay private about her friends.

"Well that's good. I tried to find out if he was still on Babylon 5, but I was assigned to the Kitty Hawk in charge of their compliment of Marines. It's a deep space research vessel and we just put into port here at Io. I couldn't wait to come planet side. I've always loved Io. It's the second place I was posted, great assignment. Plus it was nice and boring, it was a good change from being under the then Captain Franklin's command at Janos 7. I was a green recruit straight out of the academy. That was probably one of the best learning experiences I had. Still a nice easy tour is often just what you need after a year of constant warfare. Here I am rambling on. I guess I could tell stories all night but I'm sure you're here to meet someone for dinner." Joel finished with a genuine smile that animated his face.

Susan tried to make sense of his rambling conversation deciding that he had a boyish allure that she had thought was only endemic to her first officer. He often sat down with her in her office and just wanted to swap stories. Susan couldn't help but be caught up in his charm. The two were basically the same rank only he was GROPOS and she Navy. She decided to answer his question, "Actually no, I wasn't waiting on anyone. I was thinking about getting a quick bite to eat and then turn in early."

"I'd say that's a waste of a perfectly good evening." The Colonel stood and offered his arm, "If you'd allow me, I'd be pleased to escort you to the restaurant of your choice."

"Thanks, but not tonight. I'm afraid I've got too much on my mind to be very good company," Susan said reluctantly thinking about the issues that she had came planet side to escape.

"I understand, but if you change your mind I'll be here for two more days before I head to Earth, and you look like you could use a friend. Is there any message you'd like for me to relay to Stephen?" Joel asked.

"Not really, I just hope everything is going well with his research," Susan watched Joel walk away and out the door. The only thing she and Stephen had talked about recently was Marcus. So far Stephen hadn't found anything that might be able to bring the Ranger back and it had made their relationship a bit strained. Susan felt guilty that he had given his life for her and Stephen felt guilty that he had arrived too late and couldn't do anything to bring Marcus back. The mutual guilt had kept the two from talking as much as they had in the past. Besides with Joel she had just passed up the perfect opportunity to lose herself in a convenient diversion.

Talia found her after futilely searching for two hours. She was sitting in the back corner of a bar not too far from where Talia was staying. Susan had numerous shot glasses lined up making a crystal pyramid three layers high and it looked like she wasn't going to be stopping anytime soon. Talia couldn't help but notice that she looked under dressed in her plain black slacks and dark green long sleeved blouse when compared to Susan. Although after looking her over she could tell that the pleasant flush to her skin was from too much alcohol. Talia absently wondered exactly how long she had been at it. From where she was observing her she didn't know if Susan would make a scene or not. Steeling her nerves, she gingerly sat down in the seat across from Susan.

Susan looked up and the corners of her mouth took a decidedly downward turn. "I definitely didn't want to see you."

Talia could tell that this wasn't going to go well; Susan had certainly been drinking for quite a while. "Are you finished wallowing in self-pity? If so we need to come to some sort of understanding." There, it was out, best to anger Susan in a public place and deal with the outburst here.

"No actually I've got a bit more wallowing to do so if you'll just leave me to it; I'll catch up with you on the Mediator." Susan replied beyond caring that Talia was baiting her.

"So if things get a little uncomfortable you hide behind the bottle? We are going to be spending several months together and you've got to pull yourself together. Why don't you come with me and we'll get you some real coffee?" Talia looked over at Susan trying to break through her shell of disinterest.

Susan sat for a moment looking at Talia. She slowly nodded her head yes and stood. Talia moved to her side after she saw that Susan was slightly unsteady on her feet. The two went to Talia's rented room and Susan took a moment to stare at the furnishings. They were much better than her rooms. Obviously either the Corps or Braden was paying her well. She sank down into the couch, which molded itself to the contours of her body. Talia came back a few minutes later with a steaming cup of coffee. Susan took the cup from her naked hand and just let the smell permeate her senses as dulled as they were. She could still tell this had to be very good coffee. She took a sip and she wasn't disappointed. Talia placed two oxypills on the table in front of Susan.

Talia couldn't help but smile at the expression on Susan's face. "Susan, how are you feeling?" Talia asked as she sat beside her on the couch.

"Umm… the coffee is great. Where did you find this?" Susan took another sip refusing to make eye contact with the telepath as she reached down to take the pills to counteract the effects of the inebriation.

"Actually I got it with you in mind." Talia paused as Susan mumbled in reply. "The unresolved issues between us need to be discussed. It is affecting your ability to do your job."

"Talia, what can I say, you left. I don't know if I can trust you. I hate the Psi-Corps and I'm being sent on a mission that I have no control of so yes I guess I have a few unresolved issues. Don't worry I'll get over them. Thanks for your concern and as soon as I finish the coffee I'll be on my way." Susan stated defensively.

Talia could feel the irritation and distrust roiling out from Susan. "You know there is a way to find out if I'm telling you the truth. You can go into my mind and look for yourself." Talia stated throwing down the gauntlet.

Susan put down the coffee and looked up angrily at Talia. "There is no way you're going into my mind."

"Susan I not talking about me going into your mind. I'm giving you permission to enter my mind." Talia watched as Susan went from confusion to stark terror in the space of a heartbeat.

Susan recovered and stood to leave, "I don't know what you're talking about but I'm not going to have anything to do with you or the Corps."

Talia grabbed Susan's arm making skin-to-skin contact. She was shocked at the emotions swirling around and closed herself off before she picked up more than she should. "Susan, I know you're a telepath. I am not going to tell anyone, if you'll just go inside my mind you'll see what I'm telling you is the truth. It's me. I know it was hard for you to trust me before, but if you ever felt anything for me just do what I'm asking."

"I'm damned to hell," Susan said as she stopped struggling abruptly, her defensive walls crumbled around her as she slumped in defeat. "How did you find out?"

Talia pulled Susan closer. She could tell Susan was reeling from the realization. "I don't know what your abilities are but if you will let me guide you in, I'll show you what you need to see."

Susan tentatively reached out trying to do the one thing she had always been warned against. She could feel some of Talia's emotions, foremost was love, then concern for Susan, and a growing fascination that Ivanova really had been able to hide for so long. She felt a gentle tug and then she was viewing a conversation between Talia and Braden. It was weird; she was seeing and hearing everything from Talia's perspective. She felt a deep-seated fear enveloping and taking hold as Braden went over the results of the research. She wasn't sure if was her own or Talia's. The boundaries between the two were becoming muddled. She felt her body coiling to use her telekinetic abilities to strike out but then relaxing as Braden explained himself. Susan wasn't sure if it was her or Talia who broke contact, but she felt Talia's arms and something else holding her steady as she almost fell.

"Susan, I'm sorry. That was maybe too much too soon." Talia lead Susan to the bedroom. "Here sit down." Susan slumped down on the bed and grabbed her head.

"That was weird. I was living your memories of what happened?" Susan asked still clutching her head and trying to make the room stop spinning.

"Yes, I didn't mean for you to go in so deeply. Are you alright?" Talia asked noting that Susan had turned very pale and she was shivering.

"No." Susan headed to the bathroom and promptly emptied the contents of her stomach. Somehow vodka burned more coming back up than it did going down. Talia quietly followed behind her and got a wet washcloth to wash her face. She left for the bedroom and got a pair of silk shorts and a tank top for Susan to change into. She helped Susan into the clothes and climbed into bed with her.

Susan awoke to find her head on an unusual pillow. She felt warm, soft skin underneath her cheek where it was resting on someone's abdomen. Her arm was wrapped around an equally warm well-muscled cloth covered leg. Well at least that meant she hadn't done anything that she should be worried about, that's what she hoped it meant. She felt a slight throbbing in her head and she couldn't help but to nuzzle into the soft skin under her jaw.

Talia felt a gentle pressure against her stomach and ran her hand through the hair that was wrapped around her fingertips. She was glad she had such a large bed. Susan was straddling her leg and her hand had ridden up very high on her inner thigh. Talia was feeling the stirrings of desire running from her stomach to her pelvis. She tried to quiet the emotional turmoil that Susan's touch had ignited. She still wasn't sure what their relationship was exactly, and right now she was feeling contentment from Susan and just a slight awareness of her surroundings. With the two of them entwined it was impossible for Talia not to pick up on Susan's surface emotions.

Susan became more aware of what she was doing and stopped. The previous night came back to her in a rush. Drinking, Talia bringing her to her room and then the delicious and forbidden touch of mind-to-mind contact. Her secret was out. All her life she had ran from the Corps and telepaths and now she found herself wanting the contact. She wanted to reach out to Talia but she was uncertain. She had felt the love and protectiveness of the night before and then she also remembered the aftermath. She could tell Talia was awake.

Susan sighed and untangled herself from Talia's body with a great deal of reluctance. She was still uncertain what she could trust and where her relationship with the woman beside her was going to go. It would be better to take things slow.

"Susan, how do you feel?" Talia asked turning on her side. She gently brushed aside a stray chestnut strand of hair.

Susan couldn't help but feel a slight shiver at hearing her name come from Talia's lips. She had really missed her, talking to her, and coming to terms with the fact that not all of Psi-Corps was innately evil, or else mindless automaton's to serve the corps purposes. Talia had a hard battle to fight one that anyone with any less patience would have lost. Susan couldn't help but wonder what had really attracted the telepath to her. Was it Talia or the artificial personality that wanted her? This was the same argument that had been ruminating around in her head everytime she thought of Talia. The construct couldn't have picked a better way to poison her memories.

"You're shivering, are you cold?" Talia asked concern mirrored in her gaze. She pulled the bed cover up under Susan's chin and began stroking her arm.

"I'm okay, maybe I just overdid things last night." Susan stated trying to shake off the thoughts that had just been passing through her mind. How was she going to come to terms with this latest revelation? Her secret was out, but was it safe? God, she was only making her headache worse. Better just to face things head on. "Talia, I don't know what I can trust about you. I have gone over every moment we spent together in my head the last three weeks especially the day you left. After last night, I just don't know where to go." Susan finished faltering over the last.

Talia tried unsuccessfully to hide her sorrow at Susan's words. "Susan, we will go wherever you want to. If you don't want a relationship with me, I understand. I'll always be your friend, and I only want what is best for you. There is no way I can make up for what happened in the past. Just know that I am me now. I'm the same person who came back for more after your abrupt brush off when we first met." Talia looked into blue eyes and gave Susan a wry half smile. Lying on the bed she moved her right hand up and out of the bed sheets and put it in front of Susan. "Friends?"

Susan reached out and clasped her hand, "Friends."


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 2 - Mission Objectives**

_**Hyperspace - March 16, 2263 - 05:00 EST**_

It was strange how the universe could change overnight, Susan thought as she stretched, getting up from her soft warm bed. She wasn't dreading facing the day like she had been since she had gotten this assignment. She and Talia had talked for a long time before they had left

Io. They had established the basis for learning to trust each other again.

Susan and Talia had talked about some of the things they had in common. What to do about Psi-Corp and their influence on Talia's life they kept away from. Tonight they were going to have dinner in her quarters. Ivanova's second in command had noticed the change as soon as she had come back on board. She could tell he was still confused as to exactly what had happened but he was a smart man and had put two and two together and knew it had something to do with Ms. Winters. He just didn't know exactly what. The two had not shown any obvious closeness, however just being civil was a major improvement over Ivanova's previous behavior. Susan truly believed it was Talia, not something concocted by the Corps to bring her in and be indoctrinated into the system.

Susan quickly showered, got dressed and made her way to the bridge. All seemed quiet and the night shift was still on duty. She had temporarily forgone breakfast to check and make sure the new modifications were not causing any problems for her ship.

So far it looked like the BTW people might actually know what they were doing. Then again, chances were they didn't and they could all be stuck in hyperspace like a Flying Dutchman. Ivanova checked the sensor readings again from her console. She decided to go to her office and review some of the departmental reports she had waiting for her. An ensign had brought her coffee, and she wistfully remembered the stuff

Talia had given her. It was much better than what Susan had here aboard ship. She had to ask Talia where she had gotten it. Susan heard a chime and absently answered still staring at the engineering report on her screen.

"Ma'am are we still being briefed this morning?" the Lt. Commander asked as he took a seat across from his Captain.

Susan nodded a yes as she completed scrolling through all the departmental reports. She skimmed them, knowing that her photographic memory would allow her to recall everything later.

"Do you have any idea what all this is about?" Jeff shifted in the chair trying to get comfortable but also to get the Captain's full attention.

It was always annoying how she could be engrossed in a report and still carry on a conversation.

Ivanova looked up and could tell her first officer was itching to get her full attention. He was in search and destroy mode. Search out any issues and destroy them before they became a problem. It was one of the reasons he was such a competent officer.

"I don't know any more than what I told you at our initial briefing.

We're to escort Mr. Braden and BTW wherever they want to go and they are to let us know en route. We are headed in the direction of Epsilon

Reticuli locked on the hyperspace beacon for that sector as I am sure you are already aware." Susan replied not really wanting to play twenty questions. She still felt a brief fluttering of nerves that was keeping her on edge. She might be laying the foundations of trust with Talia, but the rest of the Corps was a different matter.

"Yes Ma'am. I've been talking with Mr. Telrin but he hasn't been too talkative about any mission objectives. He will go on and on about business deals or the engineering specs. He and Marty are getting along great. You would think as possessive as she is about the ship she would be annoyed at him poking around her baby, but the two of them started talking about quantum fluctuation during hyperspace travel and it was like love at first sight." Jeff finished shaking his head. "How about Ms.

Winters?"

"What about Ms. Winters?" Susan asked in return not quite sure if she liked the direction this could be headed in.

The Lt. Commander squirmed in his chair a bit, intimidated by his

Captain, having heard that tone of voice before. However his curiosity and lack of better judgment won out. "The two of you seem to have come to an understanding, so has she given you a hint of what this may be about?"

"No, and you will find out with me at the briefing in a few hours so if you have any other point you want to make, I suggest you get to it." The

Captain had leaned forward, and her voice had a definite bite to it.

"Ummm... no ma'am, I'm just glad that you're back to acting like yourself. I guess I'll check the sensor readings again and make sure everything is okay." The Lt. Commander took his leave and Ivanova returned to her work.

_**Hyperspace - March 16, 2263 - 10:00 EST**_

Mr. Braden began the briefing by placing a small black holographic display unit in the center of the table. He placed a data crystal inside and an extremely detailed map was floating in the air between all of the participants. The technology had to be new and expensive for such a precise representation. Only the best from BTW.

"This is a map of the Epsilon Reticuli system, which is 48.7 light years from Earth. The planet we are interested in is the sixth one from the orange sun. Its designation is EE-ER-P006. The planet is a desolate world covered in ice that has a barely breathable atmosphere. On it I believe we will find alien technology which may be valuable to Earthgov. I have examined a similar object on Mars and after much research; we believe this could broaden our understanding of how and why hyperspace exists."

Braden paused and looked around the room. Seated to his right was Talia Winters, and counterclockwise around the table were Lt. Commander McKinney - XO, Major Chen - Security, Captain Ivanova, Lt. Commander Renovitch - Chief Engineer, Mr. Andrews - researcher, and Mr. Telrin. It was for Lucas Braden a moment in time to be savored. He was going to be able to make history rather than sitting patiently on the sidelines manipulating according to Psi-Corps rules.

"The reason Mediator was chosen is that we needed a ship capable of defending itself and creating a hyperspace jump point. A survey ship was sent to this planet and was able to give us viable data to triangulate a search, but they were unable to complete their mission."

"Why not sir?" McKinney asked concern for the well being of the ship and crew foremost on his mind.

Mr. Braden leaned forward his left hand on his cane, and gestured with his right hand as a slight smile graced his lips punctuating his disbelief at what he was about to utter, "It seems they were afraid." Braden snorted slightly and continued, "The actual report stated that the Captain of the ship felt a great 'uneasiness' at pursuing the venture with the limited availability of resources."

Ivanova spoke up, her mind quickly taking in the variables at play. "You think the previous Captain may have been pushed into leaving by something that was left on the planet, something Psi-Corps could be uniquely qualified to deal with?"

"An astute observation Captain, but no, nothing so sinister. I just want to be prepared for any eventuality. It is possible that Ms. Winters and I will have to use our abilities, but I think first we should take a look and see. The system is uninhabited and has been for possibly a million years. It is my dearest hope we will find the artifact, glean some knowledge from the ruins and leave with a better understanding of our objective. Your ship is here at my behest in case we don't." Braden turned to Jonas Telrin and looked to him to continue.

"When we arrive at the planet we will be looking for a specific mineral combination, after this is located we would like an assault shuttle sent to the surface. We have a small group that will go down to survey the area before we send in the rest of the research team. We will need security support while there from your marines. I have the specifications on these data crystals and an overview on hard copy." Telrin distributed the materials to their intended recipients. Major Chen looked over the plan and seemed pleased with the precautions but pointed out a few issues of concern. The eight of them hashed out the details with the Captain and Braden adding very little. Finally after they were going over the same points several times, Ivanova decided to give authority to Lt. Commander Renovitch, Major Chen and Lt. Commander McKinney to reach a compromise and work with Mr. Telrin and Mr. Andrews. She decided to head to the mess hall for lunch. The meeting had lasted three hours and she was hungry and her fears hadn't been eased by the exchange that had taken place.

_**Hyperspace - March 16, 2263 - 18:50 EST**_

Susan was just putting the finishing touches on the meal she and Talia were going to share. So far it looked like the ship's cook had done a good job, if it tasted as good as it looked. Her staff had been busy hammering out the details of the mission to the planet. They were going to be in hyperspace another six days and most of that time would be spent drilling and going over what they would do planet side. Ivanova wasn't big on leaving things to chance. Now if she could get over her doubts about what Braden's agenda really was and set her personal life straight... well she was Russian so that was probably asking too much.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the admittance chime to her door. She straightened her deep blue blouse and glanced down at her gray slacks, checking their appearance.

"Come in." Susan looked towards the door and watched as Talia walked in. She had on a dark green button up shirt, a black skirt that went below her knees and she had a bottle of wine in her hands.

Talia handed Susan the bottle. It was a good red wine. Talia had always had good taste in wines.

She pulled off her gloves and insignia and placed them on a table by the door. Talia watched Susan gracefully moving to pour the wine.

"Actually it's perfect; we're having salad and lasagna."

The two of them ate dinner, easily dropping into small talk. Susan explained a little of what she had encountered over the last year on Mediator; she also went over her last issue with Lt. Hayes and how she handled it. Talia started laughing, "You know I would love to have been there to see his face. Was he very upset?"

"If so he didn't say a word to me. However he probably gave my second an ear full." Susan said finishing the last of her wine.

"Speaking of which, he has been asking a lot of questions about me. Jonas felt he was asking more questions about me than idle curiosity could excuse. Are you and the Lt. Commander involved? He is a strikingly handsome man." Talia asked, baiting Susan.

Susan started coughing, choking on her wine. Talia got up and patted her on the back. Susan caught her breath and looked up at Talia standing above her, "No, we are not remotely involved. He's probably on a fishing expedition. He knows I hate the Corps, so since I've made an exception in your case he wants to know why. Don't worry I'll take care of it."

Talia absently answered "Hummm..." looking down at Susan's lips. She moved closer and placed her right arm on the backrest of the chair pinning Susan in place. Talia bridged the gap and kissed Susan savoring the taste of the wine on her lips. She delicately moved her tongue over Susan's lips gently probing. Talia moved closer wanting more, she felt Susan responding, kissing her in return. Susan pulled Talia in the chair with her and as she did the chair fell backwards. Talia immediately used her telekinetic abilities to right the two of them and got up out of the chair. She looked to Susan with a repentant sigh, "I'm sorry Susan, I know I don't need to rush things between us. I just got caught up in the moment."

Susan was caught off guard by Talia's casual use of her ability. Talia had told her before she left Babylon 5. She had come to Susan just before bed. It had happened after Bester had been on station looking for rogue telepaths. It was one of the first times the two of them had really gotten close. It just struck Ivanova how offhandedly Talia was able to do something she had so little skill at before. As much as things had stayed the same, they had changed as well. She finally registered that Talia was pulling away and stood up moving closer to her, "I don't recall protesting." Susan took Talia's hand and kissed the knuckles. Susan led Talia to her bed.

"I don't know if this is a good idea." Talia stated reluctantly following her.

"Come on, I promise I won't bite. I just want to be able to lie down next to you and talk. I think I need you to tell me what happened to you while we were apart." Susan lay down and Talia did as she requested.

"I don't know if now is the time to explain it all. Some of it I find hard to accept. The things that happened to me while the artificial personality was in control were spiteful to you, but she became brutal and vicious as time progressed." Talia had a troubled countenance as she looked over to Susan.

"Just tell me what you feel comfortable with." Susan replied trying to give her support to her friend.

Talia turned on her back and looked up at the white ceiling of the quarters. She told Susan about the experiments, the drugs, how they pushed her mind, mapped her brain, conditioned her to respond. Her telekinetic abilities were so hardwired into her now that she often acted without thought. She just responded as she had been taught. The Corps had wrought an exceptionally useful tool, but one with several fatal flaws. Although completely loyal to the Corps, she could not be accurately scanned unless she was in intense pain or extreme pleasure. Talia sat up on the bed and started unbuttoning her shirt. She slid it off her shoulders exposing her back and shoulders. She explained that the scars on her back were where they had taken the subdural pain implants out. She felt Susan's eyes searching her back looking over the puckered wounds the Corps had placed as a physical companion to those that resided on her soul. There was always doubt when the strongest Psi-Cop couldn't scan a mere augmented P-5 without resorting to violence. The personality also liked inflicting pain. That characteristic had caused problems. Talia and the personality that had inhabited her body could kill with a thought, and she had done so on several occasions. The viciousness is what had rattled her Psi-Corps masters. They needed an untraceable murder, not a messy unexplainable one. Having someone's insides spontaneously explode from within their body leaving a gory mess at the scene of the crime raised far too many questions. That was how she had ended up in a pristinely clean white room, waiting to be bred before she was terminated. It was also how everything had changed and she had been given back what she had lost. Talia pulled her shirt back up on her shoulders and began slowly buttoning it up.

"I have to ask, was it you or the other personality that chose me?" Susan asked voicing the one thing that had bothered her for the last few years since Talia had been torn from her.

"Susan, I would think that would be obvious. Garibaldi threw himself at me; Sheridan and Sinclair were both available. Then of course there was you. Susan Ivanova, the first day I met you, you made it infinitely clear that if I took an unsuited walk out an airlock, nothing would make you happier. If the other personality was in control Garibaldi would have been the easy and obvious choice." Talia looked adoringly at Susan, "I felt an immediate connection with you even if it took you a little longer to admit to it."

"You were certainly persistent. It just took me a while to get over my own insecurities with trusting anyone affiliated with the corps." Susan closed the space between the two of them and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

Talia briefly returned the attention but moved away slightly. "I need to leave now. It will be suspicious enough leaving as late as it is from your quarters. I don't want to cause any problems for you."

Susan sighed and followed Talia to the door. "You could never be a problem for me."

_**Hyperspace - March 18, 2263 - 03:44 EST**_

Talia had already been practicing with Mr. Braden for over an hour and a half in the gym. Sweat had been streaming into her face. She had struggled to maintain her concentration. Strands of Taila's hair had come out of the ponytail she had it in, and her tight clothes were sticking to her body like a second skin. Braden wasn't as strong as her but he was more experienced and wily. He was very good at throwing unanticipated curves into the training program, quite literally. She had barely been able to deflect the last of the six baseballs he had sent her way. So far anything that wasn't nailed down seemed to be fair game in their session. She had been tentative in her reprisals, since this was primarily a defensive session. In the back of her mind she was scared that if she tore up Susan's ship, friend or not, there would be hell to pay.

"I think that is enough. You need to get some sleep." Braden winked at Talia in acknowledgement of having interrupted her sleep. The exercise area was deserted at two in the morning. The few people, who had sought out the deserted gym, quickly left when they saw the two telekinetics practicing. Braden had made the most of the time pushing Talia hard.

He mentally picked up the equipment he had been hurling her way and returned it back to the proper location. Of course she should be used to the odd routine, since over the past year he had done everything he could to shake her up. It served to help him test her and it had made her more flexible and adaptable to change. He was beginning to feel his age. While they were on Mars he had help when they went though these sessions. It was amazing how much she had grown and improved over the past year. The artificial personality had been a poor substitute in comparison to what Talia had been able to accomplish. She had been very determined to learn as much as possible. Braden assumed that she wanted to get the best training possible to elude her masters. Psi-Corps would always have its mark undeniably laid into her soul.

Talia walked down the hallway and entered the lift. Lt. Commander McKinney moved to the side to let the telepath in. She had a white towel lying across her shoulders. She had decided to take a shower in her quarters rather than using the facilities in the gym. A move she now had reason to regret. She hadn't anticipated running into the second in command or anyone else.

"Ms. Winters, it looks like you had quite a workout." McKinney looked over the telepath taking in her appearance. He couldn't help but to admire the way her disheveled appearance made her look more approachable and less intimidating. The black clothes exposed abundant amounts of creamy white flesh. It was a stark contrast from the way he usually saw her.

Talia nodded to McKinney but didn't want to talk to him. He seemed like he was a good man but she wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now. She was always a little wired and restless after her training sessions. She was also self conscious. She had numerous scars all over her body. Normally when she was this exposed it was around people who were aware of her abilities and the reasons for her scars.

"Will you be going down to the planet with the first survey team or waiting for the all clear?" McKinney asked trying to build some sort of rapport with the woman standing beside him.

Talia took in a deep breath, "I will be going down with the survey team when they do their preliminary inspection." Tension was present in every line of her body.

McKinney nodded and finally took the hint. "I just wanted to apologize for my behavior. I realize I was asking a lot of personal questions and it was inappropriate. I was just concerned for the Captain's safety."

The lift comes to a halt and Talia stepped out. "Apology accepted Lt. Commander."


End file.
